GOLF SHOTS

Staff writer, with agencies

PGA TOUR

Stefani grabs one-shot lead

Shawn Stefani of the US overcame a quadruple-bogey on the 11th hole and closed with three birdies in a row to seize a one-stroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the St Jude Classic in Memphis, Tennessee. Stefani, seeking his first ever PGA Tour title, fired a four-under 66 to stand on 12-under 198 after 54 holes, one stroke ahead of countryman Harris English, the 36-hole leader who could only manage a 69 on Saturday at TPC Southwind. “I’ve never held a lead going into Sunday,” Stefani said. “We pushed each other to play better today [Saturday]. Hopefully, we can go out there tomorrow and push each other to make a lot of birdies.” Four-time major champion Phil Mickelson fired a 65 and jumped to a share of sixth on 203, level with fellow American Eric Meierdierks and one back of Americans Patrick Reed, Nicholas Thompson and Scott Stallings. Ireland’s Padraig Harrington also fired a 65 to reach 204, and share eighth with Americans Ryan Palmer and Roberto Castro.

EUROPEAN TOUR

Joost Luiten leads by three

Overnight leader Joost Luiten carded a third-round five-under 67 to pull three shots clear of the chasing pack at the Lyoness Open in Austria on Saturday. The Dutchman recovered from a poor start where he dropped two shots to birdie seven of the remaining 13 holes for a 16-under total of 200. Spanish players Jorge Campillo and Eduardo de la Riva, who returned to the clubhouse with a 66 and a 69 respectively, share second, three shots behind. Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn (64), whose round included an eagle at the par-four 12th, and France’s Romain Wattel (69) are two strokes further adrift. Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiminez, who needed to win to secure his presence at this week’s US Open, came in with a 69 to be placed six shots off the lead.

LPGA TOUR

Pressel seizes two-shot lead

Morgan Pressel shot a two-under 70 on Saturday to seize a two-stroke lead going into a 36-hole finish at the weather-delayed LPGA Championship at Locust Hill outside Rochester, New York, on Saturday. The short-hitting Pressel, looking for her first LPGA Tour win in five years and her second major, relied on her accuracy on a course playing extremely long after heavy rain to stand at six-under 138. “I just hung in there,” Pressel said. “I feel calm out there.” Tied for second behind the American were world No. 1 Inbee Park and fellow South Korean Chella Choi. Park, the winner of three tournaments this year including the season’s first major, the Kraft Nabisco, made five birdies and a bogey in firing a 68, while Choi registered 73 for 140. Another shot off the pace were South Koreans Shin Ji-yai Shin (73), Amy Yang (70) and Australian Sarah Jane Smith, who posted a 69 to move up the leaderboard. Defending champion Feng Shanshan of China bounced back from her first-round 74 with a 70 that put her at level-par 144. Taiwan’s Yani Tseng shot a 74 for a two-over 146, eight shots off the lead. Fellow Taiwanese Candie Kung just made the cut after a second 75 gave her a total of 150 after two rounds, while Amy Hung exited after a second-round 78. “I feel like I’m hitting the shot that I’m seeing and can put the ball where I want to,” said Pressel, who has been bothered by injuries in recent seasons. “We’ve got a marathon day tomorrow, and hopefully I’ll see a lot of really good shots in my head and execute them all.”